Who said French football was predictable? Seven of the top eight teams may have won their matches last weekend, but it was the week that their bosses took leave of their senses: Paris Saint-Germain's president wrote a letter that eventually condemned him to the sack, Marseille's president threatened to quit after a public row with the majority share-holder, and Lyon bid more than €10m for a 30-year-old striker who cost just €5m six months ago and whose CV lists improving team morale alongside scoring goals.
The PSG story is perhaps the most surprising of all, given that the club appeared to be on a stable footing at long last. But on Friday president Charles Villeneuve sent a letter to the board that criticised their running of the club and demanded more power for himself and more investment in the transfer market. The letter was leaked to Le Parisien, which did not go down well. Villeneuve knew he was under pressure as he attended PSG's 2-1 win over Sochaux, so he did what any media-savvy ex-TV presenter obsessed with his own image would do: in an ostentatious display, he sat himself between Sports Minister Bernard Laporte and ex-Cabinet Minister Philippe Séguin, and chose to have dinner with Arsène Wenger instead of meeting Sébastien Bazin, president of shareholders Colony Capital. By then, though, the board had forced Villeneuve's departure by resigning en masse.
That sparked Phase Two of the Villeneuve media offensive: get a high-profile player (one who was on a list of transfer targets for the next 18 months, along with Gabriel Heinze and Mathieu Bodmer) to back him. "Firing him is almost as if they are seeking instability, and it could bring on an even more serious crisis," Nicolas Anelka told Le Parisien. "It's a big loss for the club. Villeneuve just wanted to be sure the shareholders intended to build a club capable of bringing back the days of [David] Ginola and [George] Weah." Bizarre, then, that last week he was reportedly offering to sell the club to Arab investors: a task that, as president and not a shareholder, is definitely not part of Villeneuve's remit.
Bazin is expected to take over as acting president, though he is not popular with the fans, as confirmed by the banner unfurled on Sunday, "Colony: A Great PSG or Get Lost". If there is any substance to journalist Pierre Ménès's allegation, as revealed on the TV show 100% Foot, that Villeneuve had found out about an unaccounted-for €15m in the club's coffers, then the deposed president's version of events promises to be interesting.
The timing could not be worse, as it comes just as PSG are getting things together on the pitch. They might have found it easier on Sunday had Sochaux goalkeeper Jérémy Gavanon been dismissed for a deliberate handball outside the area in the first 15 minutes but a Guillaume Hoarau penalty and an effort from Péguy Luyindula, in the side for Paul Le Guen's first team-change in nine matches, won them the game. Spare a thought for Claude Makéléle, though: L'Equipe reported he had been asking questions about PSG's future direction on Friday, while on Sunday he went off injured at half-time only to get home and find that thieves had nicked his Porsche, his Mercedes, some watches and a few thousand euros in cash.
Despite that drama, PSG are up to third, six points behind Lyon and only three from the Champions League place that Marseille currently occupy after their busy week ended with a comfortable 2-0 win over rock-bottom Le Havre. The signings of Brandão and Sylvain Wiltord (on loan) were overshadowed, though, by the complaints of club owner Robert Louis-Dreyfus, who moaned that he had stumped up the funds for Bakari Koné, Hatem Ben Arfa, Hilton and Elamin Erbate in the summer, even though he had recommended they sign a youngster by the name of Yoann Gourcuff. "I gave my opinion but they went for other players, and now it's up to them to achieve the goals we set."
Marseille president Pape Diouf offered to resign if Louis-Dreyfus was unhappy with him - a slight over-reaction - but he got the response he wanted from his players. "We respect Pape Diouf and he's the man for this situation," Mamadou Niang told Fabulous Sport. "It's not exactly a crisis here and we still think we can win the title." The mood of Eric Gerets has not improved, though. He ranted at one journalist for reasonably asking about Modeste M'Bami's omission, and seems more disengaged from his squad than ever before. One L'OM insider admitted, "I wouldn't be surprised if he stands down before the end of the season."
All of which might suggest that Lyon, who comfortably beat Grenoble 2-0, have it easy again at the top of the table but that's far from true. Influential defender Cris claimed there are no leaders in the Lyon dressing-room and the day after Sidney Govou criticised the team spirit last week – "You either have the unity or you don't and we don't" – he was ruled out for the season with an Achilles injury; while Fred, deemed psychologically unfit for the weekend, has probably played his last game for the club (and would be a good January signing as he's a free agent in the summer). Lyon are now short of options up front and have bid over €10m for Steve Savidan, France's favourite former dustman, who was on the score-sheet again as Caen came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Monaco.
Lyon thought they were being clever last summer by selling Loïc Rémy to Nice for €8m and inserting a first-refusal clause in the 22-year-old's contract, but how they could do with him now. Rémy scored as Nice beat Auxerre 2-0 in front of scouts from Real Madrid, Juventus and Fiorentina. "It's a sure thing he will end up at a very big club as he has all the qualities and the mentality for that," said Nice sports director Roger Ricort, who has promised to give Rémy his watch if he scores 10 goals this season. Despite missing two months through injury, he's already got seven.
Elsewhere, Bordeaux beat Nantes 2-1 and Gourcuff scored again, this time with a header. Laurent Blanc as good as admitted that his future at the club is tied in with that of the young midfielder: "I would like to continue but it will depend on several factors and I want to know the club want the same things as me."
The surprise losers of the weekend were Rennes, whose 18-match unbeaten record was finally ended after a 1-0 defeat at Lille, the team against whom the run began. If the superb Michel Bastos can maintain his current form - he has scored five and set up five of his team's last 11 goals - then Lille have to be considered dark horses for a Champions League spot. With three points separating the five teams chasing third place, it may all come down to the fine details: which may or may not include a president in possession of all his marbles.
Results, Week 21: Grenoble 0-2 Lyon, Marseille 2-0 Le Havre, Toulouse 3-0 Nancy, Nice 2-0 Auxerre, Lorient 1-1 Valenciennes, Saint Etienne 1-1 Le Mans, Nantes 1-2 Bordeaux, PSG 2-1 Sochaux, Caen 2-2 Monaco, Lille 1-0 Rennes.
